Saharanpur court orders demolition of mosque inside DM office premises, imposes Rs 6 crore penalty

Saharanpur ( The Indian View team) : : A local court in Saharanpur district of western Uttar Pradesh ordered the demolition of an allegedly illegal mosque situated on the premises of the District Magistrate (DM) office and imposed a penalty of over Rs 6 crore on its occupants.

The order came after a complaint filed by Vikas Tyagi, former provincial coordinator of Bajrang Dal. In his complaint, Tyagi had alleged that an illegal mosque had been constructed inside the DM office complex, a sensitive government zone where confidential administrative work was carried out.

The complainant also alleged that the premises was being used for commercial activities apart from religious purposes. According to the complaint, a post office was operating from the site and several rooms were rented out to outsiders, with the mosque committee collecting monthly rent from the tenants.

Taking cognisance of the complaint and conducting hearings on it, the court of City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh directed that the structure be demolished with immediate effect.According to sources, the court also imposed a fine of around Rs 6.41 crore on the occupants for alleged illegal encroachment and misuse of government land.